Description
A comforting and budget-friendly baked pasta dish with ground beef, marinara sauce, and melted cheese, perfect for weeknight dinners and family gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound mostaccioli pasta
- 1 pound ground beef
- 1 jar (24 oz) marinara sauce
- 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Cook the mostaccioli pasta according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain any excess fat.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic to the skillet. Cook until softened.
- Stir in the marinara sauce, diced tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes to deepen the flavors.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta with the sauce mixture.
- Transfer half of the pasta mixture to a baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses.
- Add the remaining pasta mixture over the first layer and top it with the remaining cheeses.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
Notes
For a healthier twist, substitute ground beef with turkey or a plant-based alternative. Whole wheat pasta can be used for extra fiber.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 400mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
Keywords: baked pasta, mostaccioli, comfort food, weeknight dinner, family recipe